The new UPSHOT League launched last month. For this inaugural season, there are four teams — Jacksonville Waves, Savannah Steel, Greensboro Groove, and Charlotte Crown — with teams in Baltimore and Nashville set to debut in 2027. The basketball league describes itself as “a new kind of opportunity,” and many of the players are looking to kick off their professional careers.
For others, it’s a chance to re-establish themselves. Among those is A.D. (formerly Asia Durr), the number two pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft, selected by the New York Liberty. Hampered by injury their rookie year, A.D. was ready for action in 2020 but contracted COVID-19 at the start of the pandemic, missing the 2020 and ’21 seasons due to long-term effects of the illness. While they returned to play in 2022, first with the Liberty and then with the Atlanta Dream, a consistent return to form has been hard to achieve.
While the Crown is working toward more wins (currently 2–6), A.D. has shown impressive play, averaging 11.6 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. “It’s an absolute blessing and I’m honored to be a part of something so special, to be one of the pioneers in terms of being one of the players to start this league,” said A.D. “I’m filled with a ton of gratitude. It’s a huge responsibility knowing that people are counting on us to do some special things.”
The Charlotte Sting was an original WNBA franchise but disbanded in 2007. Fans have been waiting for another team. The mood among the players is upbeat, grateful for an opportunity to play in the U.S. A.D., who played in China earlier this year, said their family has come to some games. “Now that a team is here, it’s truly great,” A.D. said.
Charlotte is a familiar city to A.D., who spent 2024-25 as director of scouting and recruiting at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. “I learned a lot from coaching, being able to see the game from a different perspective,” they said.
Grateful to be healthy, they’re fulfilling the promise that they weren’t done playing basketball. “It’s been good to be back in the atmosphere, on a team, practicing every day, and trying to get in the best shape as possible,” A.D. said. “Coming together as one group and learning from each other, that’s pretty special.”
The Charlotte Crown next play on June 14 at home in Bojangles Coliseum.
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